Links of the Week: May 9, 2012

I am still horribly pressed for time, so this will be a short one. One (well, two, but they’re closely related) blog post, two videos, and one Kickstarter entry (that is rather longer than usual; this looks really impressive.

I should have more time free this weekend, and I’ve got most of next week off. In the meantime, I’ve got to get back to work.

Blog Posts

Heroes Against Darkness

I’ll be honest, I don’t remember having heard of Heroes Against Darkness before. However, I’m always happy to hear that a project has reached release, and since it’s available for free I’ll take a look as soon as it’s finished downloading.

Well, almost; I had an Adventurer Conqueror King game with Erik on Saturday that I had to get a character ready for, which meant that I had to read ACKSfirst. But after that!

Kickstarter Projects

I’m not entirely sure how to describe this. There are elements of a card game here, but it includes a spell book, actual incantations (you have to correctly pronounce the sigil on the card — there is a ‘syllable chart’ and the sigil points at the syllables you have to pronounce — in order for the spell to go off), and numerous other elements that take the game rather beyond what most people expect from a ‘card game’.

It is evident to me that they have put a huge amount of work into this. The detail and mastery needed to excel at this game is really high.

My inner geek is sitting in a puddle of excitement.

The picture below is the $45 box (the core game).

Serpent's Tongue - Core Game

2 Hardbound Spell Codex’s

140 4×6 Incantation Cards, Specializations & Artifacts

PLUS 4 Inscription Packs (40 Adept-Level Incantations)

2 Focus Gems

60 Heavy weight clay Essence, Resonance & Will-Power Chips

2 4-sided dice

2 Ready/Interrupt Stones

2 Hourglasses (15 & 30 Seconds)

World & Rule Book

‘Out of Eden’ Adventure Campaign

Quick Start Tutorial & Solo Challenge

10 Encounter Cards (Random Challenge Deck)

“The Gentleman Magi – a modern guide to magical etiquette” Insert.

It saddens me greatly that the very things that excite me about this game are the ones that make it impractical for me to support. The price is incredible given how much they aim to deliver. I don’t think I have time to master this game to the extent it deserves, and…

… hell, who am I kidding? Backed at the Magi level. I’ll make time.

Project closes May 13 and is fully funded (93,732/16,000) when I last looked.

Videos

Gaiman on Copyright Piracy and the Web

Neil Gaiman comments on something that has been observed by many people regarding copyright infringement. Most downloads either would not have led to sales, or do lead to sales; infringement that replaces sales is relatively uncommon.

By and large, copyright infringement, at least at a personal level, does not adversely affect sales. Most people who come to have a favorite author rarely learn of that author by buying a book, but through other means such as borrowing or downloading… which may then lead to buying.

Still Alive Choir

Still Alive performed by the Gifford Children’s Choir of Racine, WI.

The laser version I posted a while ago is cooler — how can a song played by laser not be cool? — but I think this may be my new favorite version of this song. The girl’s voice used at the open and close of the song seems to be a wonderful fit.